In March, the Thieves Visit The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Debuting the song they played live at the show: “Empire of the Vampires.” Now, on Wednesday, July 19, the band has released the official studio version of the single. Listen to the track below.
Ever since videos of the live version began circulating online, “Empire of the Vampire” has been a hit with “Grand Thief” fans, in part because the song’s lyrics address the complexities of gender expression and queer identity in the context of relationships. Lead singer Adrianne Lenker said in a statement: “For me, it’s about breaking free from toxic internal patterns — leaving behind an energy-draining empire that masks pure essence and learning what healthy boundaries are. , and find the strength to realize their possibilities.” Give and receive (inner and outer) uninterrupted and limitless love. “
As a result, Lenk’s impassioned singing conveys a sense of discovery. Analyzing her situation in a process similar to that of Bob Dylan in the mid-60s (Bob Dylan teamed up with Buck Meek from “The Heist” in his most recent film), shadow kingdom), she seemed to sum up her dissatisfaction very clearly. But back to her attraction, she shows how difficult it is to reconcile your rational mind with your feelings, crying “I want to be your woman, I want to be your man / I want to be someone you can understand ’” It’s not entirely clear if Lenk is actually speaking to someone else or a different side of herself, but either way, it makes sense that so many Heist fans would connect with the song and call for its official release.
Now, the official release is out, and on October 20th, Bandit will even release a special 7-inch version that includes the song via 4AD. 7” will also include the B-side of “Born for Loving You,” another unreleased song the band recently performed live.
If you’d like a chance to hear “Born for Loving You” before the studio version arrives, Big Thief’s tour — co-starring with Lucinda Williams — is underway. The tour is in support of their 2022 album, Longxin Nuanshan I believe in you. Check out the full list of dates, and get tickets here.
